Chapter 1 - Section 4
I. Reasons for Discovery and Exploration
A. Search for new routes to the East
1. Europeans began to have contact with the East through the Crusades in the 12th and 13th centuries.
2. Current trade was over land and there fore dangerous and time consuming.
3. The trade routes were dominated not only by the Muslims but also by the Italian city-states.
4. Nations-states on the coast were eager to find an ocean route to the East.
B. National Rivalries:
Nations and rulers wanted to compete for wealth and glory that discovery would bring them.
C. The three G's: Gold, Glory and Gospel
1. Many explorers sought to get rich and to attain fame through their efforts.
2. Also, many devout Christians wanted to convert natives of foreign lands to Christianity.
D. New Knowledge
1. The growth of scientific and geographic knowledge enabled navigators and explorers to travel around the southern tip of Africa and to America.
2. Inventions such as the magnetic compass were vrey helpful.
II. Christopher Columbus: Who he was and Why he came
A. Early life
1. Born in 1451 in Genoa, Italy, a busy port city.
2. He was the son of a wealthy wool weaver.
3. As a young man, he took to the sea, transporting wool, wine and dried fish to countries in the North Atlantic.
4. He eventually settled in Lisbon, Portugal which was on the forefront of trade with Africa as well as the North Atlantic.
5. He began to dream of someday sailing westward to Asia.
B. Columbus sought the treasures of Asia
1. Europeans paid good money for pepper, spices and teas as well as silks and gems.
2. Experts tried to convince Columbus that Asia was too far, that he would not make it.
3. European monarchs would not support his venture.
C. Spain's Queen, Isabella, agrees to Support Columbus.
1. After making him wait for 6 years, she provides him with three ships - the Nina, Pinta, Santa Maria.
2. She promised him noble titles and 10% of all the wealth he found.
D. The Great Voyage - August 3rd- October 12, 1492
1. Columbus' knowledge of the winds and sea were key to his success. (He knew to sail south to the Canary Islands off of Africa then west to the New World.)
2.Columbus faces a mutiny.
a. Long journey
b. the three day agreement
c. On the third day the crew spotted land. (Bahamas)
d. He altered the ship records of the distance traveled.
3. He did not find what he was expecting.
a. No great cities - only wary, struggling, indigenous people.
b. Find some gold, he thought he was in an outpost of China.
4. He returns to Spain a hero in March of 1493.
When Christopher Columbus and his men came to the Americas over 500 years ago, they brought horses, chickens, and wheat bread from Europe. The Native Americans had never seen any of those things before. The Europeans had never seen the potatoes, peanuts, tomatoes, cocoa, or corn grown by the Native Americans. But it did not take long for Europeans to start growing American foods, and for Native Americans to start growing foods that came from Europe. Native Americans also raised European horses and chickens.
This introduction of new plants and animals to Europe and America is called the Columbian Exchange. It's called Columbian because it started with Columbus, and exchange because people traded, or exchanged, things with each other.